Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 296

“No,” I say quickly. “Don’t.”

I glance at Leon, then back at Asher. “I don’t want him to understand what happened. He didn’t know what was going on.”

Asher nods slowly. His jaw tightens, but he accepts it.

“What I’m saying is,” he continues, “Leon is our son. And I want him close. Until it’s time for him to be introduced into our world… he’s protected.”

I grip his hand hard. “Thank you,” I say.

“You never have to thank me,” he replies. “I should be apologising to you, over and over again.”

Before I can respond, a familiar figure approaches. Tall. Dark-haired. Luca.

He nods to me first, respectfully.

“Welcome home, little Ari.”

“Thank you,” I manage.

Asher’s jaw tightens, just a fraction.

“I have to go,” he says quietly to me. “This won’t take long. I’ll do everything as quickly as I can to come back to you. I don’t want you alone on your first day.”

I nod. “I know.”

He bends and presses a kiss to my temple, then to Leon’s forehead.

“Behave,” he says with a smile.

Leon grins. “I’m a good boy.”

Asher laughs, soft, genuine.

Then he looks at me one last time. I can tell he wants to stay. I can tell it’s tearing at him. So I smile encouragingly, even though my chest aches.

And then he’s gone, already pulled back into his world. Suddenly, it’s just Leon and me. Standing in the middle of this massive mansion. Looking at everything.

Maria suddenly steps forward. I didn’t even notice her there.

Maria and I stand there, watching him.

And the tears come. They fall on their own, uninvited. My chest feels too tight, my heart too full. I’m happy, so happy because my son is happy. Because he feels safe. Because this place already feels like it belongs to him.

I want to freeze this moment. Live inside it. But there’s something lodged at the back of my throat. A truth I can’t swallow away.

None of this comes easily. It comes with a price. A price I don’t want my son to pay.

But I know that with his blood, with his name, this is the path laid out for him.

Whether I like it or not.

Whether I fight it or not.

Leon is already six. It suddenly feels like time is moving too fast, like his childhood is slipping through my fingers. Like one day soon, this world will stop letting him be a child.

And I don’t know how long I have before it takes him from me. My little son.

And I feel, terrifyingly like I’m already losing him to this world.